Overview

• The PLOS One paper by University of Toronto researchers analyzed 8,332 Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging participants who were not at optimal well-being at baseline and were reassessed three years later at age 60 or older.
• About 25% regained a composite state of optimal well-being defined by freedom from severe functional or mental impairments alongside high self-rated health, happiness, and life satisfaction.
• Psychological and emotional wellness at the outset was the strongest predictor, with nearly fivefold higher odds of later achieving optimal well-being.
• Better outcomes were linked to modifiable factors including regular physical activity, healthy body weight, not smoking, good sleep, active social participation, and the absence of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, arthritis, or osteoporosis.
• Recovery was more common among those younger than 70, married, and above the poverty line, and the authors urge whole-person aging supports while noting the observational design and limited generalizability outside Canada’s universal-care context.